How to be an Academic Superhero

Establishing and Sustaining a Successful Career in the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities

2nd edition

Iain Hay, Academic Dean, Australian Institute of Business and Matthew Flinders Emeritus Distinguished Professor, Flinders University, Australia

This thoroughly revised second edition draws on the author’s decades of observations and experiences in academia, Written in a clear and concise style, the book provides fully updated, forthright and practical counsel on achieving and maintaining a successful, balanced career from PhD to retirement.

‘The book’s new edition revisits and builds on the insightful and actionable advice previously given in the already solid first edition. Notably, it adds more nuance to its content, which will make it even more relevant to academics outside of higher education institutions located in English-speaking countries.’
– Iván Farías Pelcastre, University of Birmingham, UK

‘In the context of increasingly challenging and precarious times in higher education, this highly readable 2nd edition offers valuable and insightful advice based on experience and research for lecturers at any stage of their career to reflect upon as they seek to navigate and sustain rewarding and balanced academic careers.’
– Ruth Healey, University of Chester, UK

‘Written as an accessible and thoughtful guide, How to be an Academic Superhero is an essential resource for navigating the many stages of an academic career. From the pre-Ph.D. school selection stage through tenure and retirement, Iain Hay exposes the frequently hidden pathways and challenges of an engaged and successful academic career by emphasizing the importance of planning and imagining one’s individual trajectory while also highlighting the importance of maintaining broader life balance.

How to be an Academic Superhero provides relevant examples, current resources and a concise set of strategies for successfully navigating each career stage. Although much is written about early career stages, many fewer resources exist for traversing mid-and-later career opportunities and challenges. Iain Hay leverages his deep experiences across multiple positions in the academy and clearly and concisely distils the essential elements of a well-rounded academic career.’
– Holly Barcus, Macalester College, US

‘An academic career is an increasingly challenging one, and professional success clearly requires a truly vocational level of commitment. In this comprehensive work, Professor Iain Hay, himself a decorated academic superhero, provides a comprehensive and practical guide to realizing excellence in the multiple and complex roles that an aspiring academic must fulfill.’
– Michael Meadows, Nanjing University, China

‘In this volume, Iain Hay, a highly successful scholar in his own right, methodically outlines the steps needed to make oneself into an academic star. This is well-considered advice about the do’s and don’ts of success in the world of researchers, intellectuals, and teachers for those who want to make a living from the life of the mind. In an era of budget cuts, widespread anxiety, and limited opportunities for aspiring scholars, this book offers insightful, practical, and inspiring guidance about how to realize one’s potential as a researcher and teacher. Hay confronts head-on the multiple challenges faced by today’s young academics, and the paths around or through them. I wish I had such a book back when I was a budding scholar.’
– Barney Warf, University of Kansas, US